Guinness Cuts Ties with NYC St. Pat's Parade

Celebrated Irish beer brand Guinness pulled its support of New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade over a rule that excludes LGBT groups, making it the third brewer to end such sponsorships in recent days.

Guiness released the following statement Sunday evening on the GLAAD website:

Guinness has a strong history of supporting diversity and being an advocate for equality for all. We were hopeful that the policy of exclusion would be reversed for this year’s parade. As this has not come to pass, Guinness has withdrawn its participation. We will continue to work with community leaders to ensure that future parades have an inclusionary policy.

Guinnesses' move followed Heineken's decision last week to drop sponsorship of the same parade because homosexuals were excluded. Similarly, Boston Beer Co., maker of Sam Adams, cut ties with the Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade for the same reason last week. The mayors of both cities opted not to march in the parades because citizens were excluded.

New York's Board of Ancient Hibernians has organized the parade for more than 150 years, according to Reuters.